Superman Batman: Bromance
by kenxepe
Summary: "Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero." - Marc Brown


DISCLAIMER: I don't own any DC comics characters, and I make no money from this fan fiction.

To my bros!

Bromance

by

Rhonnel Ferry

Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter and civilian secret identity of the alien superhero Superman, doesn't need his enhanced senses to hear the explosion. Everybody in the busy street heard it. Although not as loudly as he did. Bystanders gasped when the ground shook, and several car alarms went off! He quickly searches for a phone booth to change costume, but couldn't find one.

"Stupid mobile phones," he mutters.

Instead he decides to run through a vacant alley. There are CCTVs everywhere now. So he has to use his super speed while changing from his civilian clothes to his more famous read and blue tights. On camera, he would appear merely as a red and blue blur.

#

He is the first to arrive at the scene. The explosion occurred at a black tie fund-raising gala, and nearly the entire building is now ablaze! The fire and rescue services have not yet arrived. He would have preferred to rely on their expertise on how to proceed. His super strength or freeze breath could just as easily collapse the structure, and endanger the very people he's trying to save.

Left without a choice, however, he decides to risk it, and breaks down the burning, large, wooden double doors.

"Through here!" he yells at the frightened people inside, most of them elderly men and women, their faces bruised and covered in soot. "Help the injured! Quickly!"

And just as he feared, a stone column begins to give way, possibly due to his recklessness, threatening to bury everyone. He quickly wraps his strong arms around the pillar, temporarily preventing it from crumbling.

"Hurry! Get out of here!" Superman shouts at the people again.

Then he feels the column crack.

"Oh, this is going to hurt," he irritably mumbles to himself.

And the entire building collapses on top of him.

#

Back in a hat, coat, shirt, slacks, and slip on shoes, Clark Kent uses his X-ray vision to scan what little remains of the explosion site, and comes up with nothing. Firefighters had extinguished the blaze hours ago. He interviewed the fire investigator earlier, but the man was less than forthright. Maybe the investigator disliked reporters. Many people do these days. And with all the biased and fake news going around, who could blame them?

Clark secretly activates his Justice League communicator and speaks into it, "I need help."

#

"Why are you even doing this?" Batman, the black-clad Caped Crusader, asks Superman that night at the same explosion site. "You're a reporter, not a detective."

"More explosions would be good for Clark's career as a newsman, I guess," Superman answers. "Not so for Superman's."

"So Clark Kent IS the disguise?"

"Even I don't know anymore these days. Found anything?"

"Of course."

"Really? So soon? I couldn't find anything, and I have X-ray vision."

"You didn't know what to look for. You could find a needle in a haystack, farm boy, but I have knowledge in explosion dynamics, fire chemistry, and... Oh, shit."

"What is it?" Superman asks, as he observes Batman studying some electronic fragments.

"I know this guy," Batman growls. "Corporal Owen Rivera. Retired military explosives expert. This is his handiwork. He designed this bomb."

"What's his super-villain handle?"

"He doesn't have one. He's not a super-villain. Although it was the super-villain, Anarky, that got him to start bombing fund-raising events last year. Convinced him that rich people only give to the poor to hide their guilt and greed, and should be punished for the facade."

"Wait a minute. Last year? The explosions at the cruise ship and the opera in Gotham. That was him? You were investigating that?"

"Yes. Caught Anarky. Almost caught Rivera, too."

"Why didn't you ask for my help?"

Batman frowns inside his mask, and answers frankly, "I didn't need it."

"Well, clearly you did. Otherwise, you would have caught the guy. Jesus, Bruce-"

"Batman. I'm in costume. You see me wearing a tux here?"

"Fine. Batman. If you had asked for help then, we would have caught the guy, and the explosion in Metropolis would never have happened."

"You saved everyone, didn't you? No one got hurt. That's what you do. You save people. That's your job. I catch bad guys. You have your job, I have mine. Let me do my job."

#

Using the powerful Batcomputer, the Dark Knight easily hacks into the CCTVs in Metropolis and locates Owen Rivera. The explosives expert disguises himself as a maintenance man, and manages to gain entrance into the Metropolis Chinese Auditorium, where tomorrow noon another fund-raising event would take place.

On one knee, he sets the explosive device down in the dark, large, and empty chamber. He is working on the timer, when he senses the presence of another in the room, watching him.

Quickly, he draws his semi-automatic pistol, and swings around. But a Batarang knocks the weapon out of his hand! Rivera yelps, and holds onto his injured hand. When he looks up, he sees a dark figure rushing towards him!

Batman knocks the bomber down with a quick left straight punch to the face! Rivera is sent sprawling across the floor. But his military training helps him to react quickly. From his pocket, he pulls out a remote detonator.

"Don't-!" Batman yells, as he reaches for another Batarang to disarm his opponent.

But he is too late. Rivera presses a button, and the device on the ground explodes!

#

Batman opens his eyes. All he sees are blurred images spinning around him. He has no idea how much time has passed. His ears are ringing. His left arm is numb, and he can't seem to move it. There is pain all over the rest of his body.

Soon, he recovers enough to realize that he is surrounded by flames! He remembers where he is and what happened. He quickly looks around for Rivera, and finds him lying on the floor a few feet away. Unlike Bruce, Rivera isn't wearing a fire resistant Bat-Suit, and the bomber has suffered severe burns on nearly half his body.

Using only his legs, and one arm, Batman slowly crawls towards Rivera to check on him.

"He's alive, but unconscious, and needs immediate medical attention," Bruce assesses.

He looks around for a way out and doesn't find one. He has gadgets in his belt that can put out some of the flames, clearing a path for him. But he can barely move, and he'll still have to drag the unconscious Rivera out with him.

Ultimately, he reaches for his Justice League communicator and speaks into it, "I need help."

Five seconds later, a blast of freezing wind instantly puts out the flames.

"You could use a breath mint," Batman grumbles.

"Sorry," Superman answers. "I was eating garlic-onion tomato pizza when you called."

"And you wonder why I never ask you for help."

#

Bruce doesn't suffer any serious injuries, and two days later, he is well enough to have coffee with Clark at a little place called SuperHero Cafe.

They just drink quietly in their regular cubicle when Bruce hesitantly admits, "Not having super powers. It bothers me a little, OK? Not a lot. Everyone knows that with enough preparation, I could rape all you super freaks sideways."

"You spiked your coffee again, didn't you?"

"But it does bother me a little. That's why I don't like asking you for help."

Clark sighs, then responds, "You think it's easy for me to ask for help? I have all these powers, and I still couldn't figure out how to catch the bomber."

"We caught him eventually."

"That's right. We did. Thanks for the help, Bruce."

"Thanks for saving my hide, Clark."

They clink coffee mugs together then drink.

END


End file.
